


Accidentally in Love

by Hustler



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M, feel good, restaurant AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-06
Updated: 2015-05-06
Packaged: 2018-03-29 07:26:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3887485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hustler/pseuds/Hustler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"maggie and daryl owning a coffee shop / restaurant together and always flirting with costumers until daryls bumps into a police officer and spills coffee all over him and he drags him to the back to clean him up but maggies already there cleaning coffee off a pizza boy and they both stare at each other for like 30 seconds and then burst out laughing and then 6 months later theres a combined wedding in the parking lot  ԅ(≖‿≖ԅ)"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Accidentally in Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rickyling](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rickyling/gifts).



> It just didn't want to end! The fic wanted to keep going! I had to cut out 3 different scenes because it was turning into a multi-chapter. Well, here it is! I'm so sorry I took so long! Oh, yes. I titled it that. I just wanted to make sure y'all knew what you were in for, it's that sappy.

Maggie narrowed her eyes when she saw Daryl pop out the back at the same time she did. They'd been neck to neck for the past few years, but not today, she promised herself. Daryl turned, feeling her glare, and narrowed his eyes as well. His nerves still got to him and even though he had to fake the confidence Maggie naturally possessed, he was not going to back down.

Somehow, over the years he developed the inability to resist competing with her. There was just something about the way her eyes shined with sure victory and her smile went a little dangerous. It got under his skin and made him restless with anticipation, like a good hunt.   

Pretty soon after they opened up their little restaurant, Maggie had a group of admirers always coming in and buying something just to see her. Daryl could admit it was kinda impossible not to fall a little bit in love with her. Pretty and ambitious, weren't that many people who could resist that. Their customers sure couldn't. Her fanbase had them busy from opening to closing on most days.

Then one day, a customer took a shining to Daryl. He had no fucking idea why. He practically broke the man's face when the man innocently tapped him on the back trying to ask him something. It was a reflex. He still wasn't used to people being around him or touching him. Beth and Maggie rushed to the bleeding man with rags and napkins, but the man never looked away from Daryl, or even tried to stop the bleeding.     

"Damn. That's one hell of an arm you got there," the man had remarked, voice a little congested and watery, but very much infatuated.   

Maggie gave him a look over the man's head, partly surprised and partly disturbed. In the end a giggle broke out of her and Beth followed soon after. The man smiled and it looked grotesque, red and orange soaking into his lips and teeth, but it was nothing Daryl hadn’t seen before.

Daryl shifted around uncomfortably, desperately wanting to apologize, but put off by the man's strange behavior. Who liked getting hit in the face? In the end, he sent Maggie and Beth away to look after the other costumers and he took the clean rag hanging from the back of his pants and pressed it against the man's face. Daryl winced when he felt the crooked bone underneath. People were staring and he could feel every single eye like a hot, nauseating light.   

"C'mon," Daryl said, leading the man into the back. The man followed easily, still looking at Daryl like he was worth something to look at. The way people looked at Maggie.

A crunch later and Daryl had reset the man's nose. Stilted small talk on Daryl's end, names exchanged and that's how Daryl got his first enamored, loyal customer.   

Aaron came by every weekend after that. He was a surprisingly easy man to talk to considering how different they were. Through their unique form of conversation, Daryl learned to talk _pleasantly_ with another person who wasn't Maggie or Beth. It was more of the same stilted small talk but peppered with a few sincere questions. Aaron seemed to love every moment of it.   

Then Maggie got that look in her eye. She was considerate enough to even the playing field, so she bet Daryl she could get their most stoic regular to smile at her before Aaron complimented him yet again. For a second there, there was a moment when it seemed Maggie was going to make Abraham crack first, but Daryl had won the one-sided bet. He hadn’t done a single thing. It was obvious Aaron was beyond smitten. The next time Maggie elbowed him and told him she could get Abraham to laugh at her stupid joke, Daryl went to Aaron with the same intention.

Making people laugh was a good thing, right? No reason he shouldn’t work on the whole _social skills_ thing. Aaron was a nice guy. He deserved a good joke. Except Daryl didn’t know any jokes that weren’t exceptionally inappropriate. It was why the worst joke he had ever heard tumbled out of his mouth when he saw Aaron. Maggie had been repeating it their whole lives and Daryl _hated_ it, but it was the only thing that had come to his mind and it left his mouth awkward and angry. 

Aaron broke out into a full blown belly-laugh when Daryl stood there, upset at the filth he had just spewed. Maggie looked over in surprise, bright eyes moving between Daryl and Aaron. She gave him a thumbs-up and he even caught Beth smiling at him with pride.   

Aaron kept laughing, wiping actual tears from his eyes. “That was the worst joke I’ve ever heard.” 

Since then, Daryl jumped onto every little game Maggie came up with, no matter how embarrassing or terrifying it was. Customers instantly took notice and joined in; excited by their competitive relationship and enjoying being on the receiving end of a flirtatious Maggie or Daryl.

Now Aaron, as much as the attention was novel and oddly flattering, Daryl couldn't muster a single romantic feeling for the guy. Didn't end up so bad for him though. Maggie's newest regular at the time, started stealing glances at Aaron and it didn't go unnoticed by Beth. Whenever they came in at the same time she seated them conveniently close to each other. Daryl even “mixed up their orders” once and kept the waiting staff busy while they figured it out themselves and decided to sit together and switch their plates.

That had been three years ago. About a month ago, they catered Aaron and Eric's wedding.  

Maggie and Daryl might have thrown over a few empty chairs and jumped over a crowd of excited people when Maggie whispered to him that she could get to the bouquet before him. They both snatched it at the same time, a piece of Maggie's nail in Daryl's thumb, but he hadn't let go. He didn't give a damn about the thing, but he wasn't going to let Maggie beat him. Aaron and Eric swooped in on them pretty quickly, holding onto each other, laughing, and made them promise to invite them to their respective weddings.   

Daryl snorted as if he'd ever do such a thing and like hell there could ever be someone out there that could tie down Maggie.

Well into the night, after Maggie drowned him in champagne, she braided the flowers into his hair.

* * *

The sounds of customers tapered off into a warm hum in the background as they waited for the other to make the first move. Daryl looked away first, surveying the customers, spotting Martinez. Easy.

Maggie followed his line of sight and nearly groaned, fucking Martinez. He’s had the hots for Daryl since they met. She looked around quickly, her green eyes taking everyone in, as fast as any _hunter's_. The bell above their door rang then, and Sasha stepped in. Hell yeah.     

Daryl and Maggie locked eyes again, fiery green meeting icy blue, twin smirks on both faces and they were off.    

Maggie ushered Sasha in, seating her adjacent to Martinez. Daryl walked over to Martinez and crossed his arms loosely, purposefully drawing attention to his arms. It worked. Martinez stopped halfway through greeting Daryl with an easy smile, hungry eyes taking in the way Daryl's arm muscles flexed. Daryl looked over at Maggie, eyes gloating. Maggie gave him a bored look and rolled her eyes. She leaned down and set a hand softly onto Sasha's shoulder and squeezed gently.    

"Hi, Sasha. It's been a while, babe. How's that kickback on your shoulder?" She asked, letting her voice dip into that husky southern register.    

Sasha groaned and leaned into her hand. "Killing me. Ohh, that feels amazing," Sasha said, placing her other hand over Maggie's wrist.

"Is there anything you can't do?" She asked, dreamily. Maggie gave her a bashful smile and let her laugh ring a little higher, throwing Daryl a smug look.    

Daryl ignored her and focused on Martinez.    

"You gotta tell me your secret, Daryl," Martinez said, leaning back in his chair, legs spread lazily.

Daryl arched his eyebrow and grabbed a chair, turned it around and straddled it. He crossed his arms over the top, his sleeves sliding up even higher on his broad shoulders. Martinez greedily took in the sight. Daryl hoped Maggie was watching.    

"What are you talking about?" Daryl asked, tilting his head slightly.    

"Those arms, man. A crossbow alone can't do that. C'mon, what do you do?"   

Daryl bit his lip and smiled at him. He could hardly keep from looking away. Yeah, it was friendly flirting and it was mostly about the game he and Maggie had going on, but the compliments still caught him off-guard. Specially coming from guys like Martinez.    

Daryl made a show of looking him over. "Not so bad yourself," he remarked and grabbed his small notepad from his pocket. He touched the tip of his pen to his tongue, eyes sliding over to Maggie. She stuck her tongue out at him as she began an impromptu message on Sasha. Daryl almost laughed when he saw Sasha drifting off. The massage was backfiring on her, Sasha wasn’t going to last long.   

"Runnin' this place is about the only thing I got time for other than hunting." Daryl shrugged, "I do some push-ups before bed."     

Maggie scoffed and Martinez looked over at her, smiling in amusement when he saw Sasha.   

" _Push-ups_. He makes it sound like he's human. He does _handstand_ push-ups." Maggie said to Martinez.   

"There's a difference, Daryl." Maggie said in a huff.     

"Yeah? What about that contortionist shit you do. Backbend push-ups? What sick bastard invented that? It's like walking in on one of them scary movies." Daryl ducked from the vicious kick Maggie aimed at his shin and laughed. "Almost pissed myself the other night."  

"You're just jealous because you're not as flexible as me." Maggie pouted.   

"Wow, you two sound really athletic." Martinez said, impressed, checking Daryl out again and then giving Maggie a once-over as well. Maggie preened and shot Daryl a victorious smirk.

A sudden look came across Martinez's face, his mouth widening in an "o".   

"Are you two?" Martinez asked, wagging his finger between them.    

"What? No!" Maggie yelled. Sasha didn't even stir.    

"No! She's like my sister." Daryl said, with a mildly sick face.    

Martinez put his hands up and smiled at them. "My bad. No offense meant."    

"Good to know though," Martinez said, licking his lips.    

"So, what’s with the double life? I mean, I put my own time in the gym, but you two sound a little more advanced than that."    

"Well," Maggie began, just as Beth passed by with a tray of dirty dishes. Beth leaned into Martinez and with the most serious look on her pretty face she said, "You always gotta be ready for the Zombie Apocalypse."    

"That's my girl," Maggie said, fondly.

"Damn straight," Daryl agreed, looking over Beth like a proud older brother.      

Martinez did a double-take, "What?"   

Sasha's head popped up then, "What'd I miss?"    

* * *

"Oh my god, look!" Maggie whispered, turning Daryl's head in the direction of the entrance.    

Beth was seating the infamous Michonne. She was new to town, and only came into their restaurant to pick up orders she called in. She was gorgeous, mysterious, and in Daryl’s opinion, out of their league. It was the perfect opportunity to finally scope her out.      

"Counter looks dirty," Daryl said, quickly. He grabbed a rag and threw it over his shoulder, leaving Maggie behind. Fuck.

"Oh, no. It's suddenly really hot in here." Maggie said flatly and took off one of her tops, leaving her in her worn, skin-tight undershirt. She ran her hands through her hair and tousled it.    

"It's go time," she whispered to herself.    

On her way out she noticed Daryl “cleaning” the counter, stretched out in that way of his. Stupid arm muscles out to play and everyone was watching. It was his unintentional strategy that he happened upon after meeting Aaron. He let them come to him and almost everyone did if he remembered to keep the scary out of the restaurant.

* * *

The next morning they were still debating who Michonne liked better. They argued as they dropped Beth off at school and kept going until they reached the restaurant. Together they prepped for the upcoming day and opened the restaurant, bickering and annoying each other.

"I think I finally got the cinnamon roll milkshake down," Maggie said.  

"Sure you did," Daryl teased.   

Maggie had been working on the recipe since before they opened up the restaurant. No matter how good it came out, she always found something wrong with it. Daryl didn't care, he loved being the taster whenever she altered the recipe.  

"Asshole," Maggie muttered under her breath. She went over to him and pushed him down in a stool. "Don’t go anywhere. I’m gonna make it right now and you’re going to love it.."  

A mess later and Maggie was pouring him a beautiful, fluffy looking, tan-colored milkshake. She stuck two straws in it and watched him with her big intense eyes. Waiting.  

It was fucking sinful. Daryl shook his head and looked up at Maggie in astonishment.  

"Right?!" Maggie exclaimed, huge smile on her face.  

Daryl sucked in the straws again and started chugging down the shake until Maggie grabbed it out of his hands and started chugging it herself. Daryl reached for it, but Maggie pushed him away. She shoved his hands away and sat in his lap, letting go of a straw and flicking it towards him.

Daryl wrapped his arms around her, securing her from falling and he latched onto the straw, violently blowing bubbles.

“Dick!” Maggie yelled at him, laughing and wiping at her cheek.

* * *

Daryl was sipping on more of the shake Maggie had made them when he walked in.    

Long, lean legs in dark jeans, wearing a snug, worn t-shirt. The most beautiful blue eyes he’d ever seen and dark, curly hair. He looked like a damn model. Another customer greeted the man just as they were leaving and the man smiled all friendly-like with his pretty mouth.

Daryl looked for Maggie, hoping she hadn't seen the new guy, but she was nowhere in sight. Well, shit. Without her to give him the excuse to talk to him with their stupid game...he didn't have the courage to do it.  

"Do you want me to take his order?" Beth whispered.    

Daryl almost immediately agreed, until he saw the smirk on her face.    

"I can do it," he said stubbornly. He wasn't going to let Beth, of all people, laugh at him. He changed her diapers once upon a time, goddamnit.  

"Careful, now," Abraham said, as he passed by his table.    

Daryl looked back at him, raising an eyebrow. "What?"   

Abraham took a sip of his soup and looked up at Daryl innocently. Daryl glared at him and continued on his way and heard Abraham laugh to himself. Prick.   

* * *

Daryl instantly felt like he was stepping on the wrong foot, stumbling through the tables, when really he was walking just fine. He felt completely out of his element. He didn’t usually notice people, _like that_. He didn’t get it. The guy seemed normal enough. They had customers just as good-looking come in before. He didn’t like it. In fact, he hated it. Random ass guy coming in and smiling like that. Daryl hadn’t asked for some runway cowboy to stir things up.

Daryl fell back on what he did best, _anger_. He marched to the guy’s table, determined to find something to hate about him. He stood in front of the guy’s table and stared. Up close, his curly hair looked even softer. The guy noticed he was there, but he continued to look at his menu. Daryl cleared his throat. Nothing. 

“What do you want?” Daryl asked, bluntly.

The man’s small smile turned down and he looked Daryl over.

“Excuse me?” He asked.

Daryl glared at him and whipped out his notepad. He grabbed the pen from his ear and held it above the notepad. Daryl gave him a look, waiting for him to get with the program, but the guy just stared back.

“To eat.” The _jackass_ at the end was silent but the guy seemed to hear it anyway.

The guy straightened in his seat and looked up at Daryl incredulously.

“Well?” Daryl prompted impatiently.

The guy looked away in disbelief, laughing under his breath. “I need some time to look over the menu,” he said, annoyed.

Daryl rolled his eyes and turned around before he even finished his sentence.

Abraham was smiling at him as he passed by. Daryl grabbed his spoon and stuck it in his mouth. He sucked on it as loud and obnoxiously as he could and put it back into Abraham’s half-empty bowl. He parted with a mock salute and hid out in the kitchen. Still no sign of Maggie.

Beth rested her elbows on his hunched over back and looked at the guy with her chin in her hands.

“Are you going to poison him?” Beth asked.

Daryl nodded seriously, chewing on a toothpick. “I’ll just let you do the cooking,” He said, smirking.

Beth pulled viciously on a lock of his hair and left him to relieve Noah of his shift. 

Daryl watched the front, waiting for a sign that the guy was ready to order. The front door opened and a young guy stepped in. Daryl hadn’t seen him before either. He looked decent enough, smiling at Beth as she seated him and handed him a menu. He nodded enthusiastically and eagerly began to look through the menu.

Maggie walked in soon after, looking over everyone’s tables and momentarily doing a double-take at runway cowboy’s table. She looked over at the kitchen automatically finding Daryl’s eyes, like she was psychically connected to him. She was.

“Wow,” she mouthed to him. Daryl laughed at the excitement lighting up her entire face. He envied that in her. Then he realized that she was going to bring in the new guy to their little game.  

Daryl looked away in horror and he caught sight of the young guy. He was staring up at Maggie like a love-struck teenager, mouth hanging open like in the movies.

“Who’s the new guy?” Maggie asked him in the kitchen.

“He’s a prick.” Daryl answered.

Maggie’s mouth dropped open in shock. She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall.

“What did you do?” She asked, accusingly.

Daryl bristled underneath her judgmental stare. “Nothing.”

“You’re lying. Whatever, it’s your loss.” Maggie sighed and then looked back at runway cowboy. She hummed happily and then shook her head, “I’ll take care of him next time he comes in,” she said, intention loud and clear.

Daryl sulked while she grabbed her things. He didn’t want her to.

“Where are you going?” He asked, finally realizing she was packing up.

“Dad needs me. I’ll be back soon.” She went over to him and grabbed him by the shoulders. “Be good. Not everyone lets you punch them in the face and become your best friend. That’s not how it works, Daryl.” 

Daryl shook her off and started shoving her out the kitchen. “Get out of here. And don’t come back unless you make me another shake.”

He hated himself for being happy that Maggie wasn’t going to be able to flirt with the guy this time. It's not that she would even he didn't want her to, it was that he'd have to say something he didn't want to out loud. 

* * *

“Are you ready to order?” Daryl asked flatly.

The guy looked up at him and folded the menu slowly and then waited a beat before he took a sip of his water. Daryl took in a deep breath and waited.

“Yeah, I’ll have the…” the guy trailed off and very obviously held back a smile as he opened up the menu again, and looked through the items as if he forgot the name of the dish he wanted.

Daryl’s hand twitched, it wanted to curl into a fist.  

Finally, the guy tapped his finger against a line and folded the menu back up again at the same excruciating pace.

“Homemade meatloaf, please.” The guy said, folding his arms on top of the table and looking up at Daryl, blue eyes crinkling with amusement.

Daryl wanted to punch that handsome face. There was a corner at the guy’s smug lips that had Daryl’s name on it.

Wait-

“Do you want fries with that?” Daryl asked and then regretted it when the guy looked pensive. He took another sip of his water, lips pursed in thought. It made his cheekbones pop more and with his 5 o'clock shadow, the guy looked like he was carved from stone. Daryl quickly ran his eyes over his chest and arms. He was pretty fit.

The guy finally shrugged and patted his stomach, which drew Daryl’s eyes there for a second. He looked solid and from the sound, Daryl could tell there was nothing but muscle underneath the shirt.

“Alright. Once in a while doesn’t hurt, right?”

Daryl didn’t bother to respond. He gave himself a moment, knowing the jerk was going to pull the same shit again and prepared to ask him another question.

“Would you like something else to drink?”

The man’s eyes lit up, “What do you have?”

Suddenly, someone snorted over by Daryl’s other side. He turned to look and the young guy was covering his mouth with his long sleeve. He avoided Daryl’s eyes and looked up at a decorative photograph.  

“Oh wow,” the guy muttered holding in laughter, pointing at the photograph, pretending to admire it.  

If he passed out Daryl wasn’t giving his stupid ass CPR.

* * *

Noah offered to cook the guy’s fries, but Daryl wouldn’t let him and told him to take care of the other guy’s order.

“Wow. Must be a special customer.” Noah said, looking at Daryl from the corner of his eye.

Daryl glared at him. “Don’t.”  He warned.  

Daryl shuffled around as he waited for the fryer. He looked over at Noah, the kid was smiling at him. “It’s not like I don’t cook. I taught you, didn’t I?”

“Okay, boss. Didn’t mean anything by it.” Noah said, calmly. “It’s just the way you’re acting. I don’t know, it’s like you’re vibrating or something.”

Daryl gave him another glare, strong enough that Noah looked away and shut up. They cooked for a while side by side in comfortable silence. But Daryl could feel it. It was coming.

Just as he was leaving with the fries and meatloaf ready on a plate, Noah spoke up. “Don’t forget to invite me to the wedding!”

“You’re fired!” Daryl yelled back and slammed the kitchen door. It was a swinging door. He barely escaped it as it swung back at him. 

* * *

Daryl took comfort in his regulars and though Maggie wasn’t there he slipped into some easy-going conversation, even managed to recycle some charm. It helped that his regulars gave him familiar setups.

A couple of times he caught the guy staring at him. Carol noticed too and when Daryl came over to refill her tea she had a proposition for him.

The next time the man had his fork half-way up to his mouth, sneaking a glance at him, Carol swiped the rag from the back of Daryl’s pants as he was helping another customer and slipped it into the other back pocket, generously helping herself to a grope.

Daryl looked back and winked at her. Carol barely held back her laugh and a fork clattered loudly from the other side.   

He looked back for a second and the guy looked away quickly picking up his fork. 

* * *

“You’re very familiar with your customers,” The guy said.

"They're all regulars." Daryl replied, feeling slightly defensive. 

"Looked like you didn't spare anyone,” The guy continued, voice tight, eyes staring with an intensity Daryl would normally be uncomfortable under.

But.

Daryl narrowed his eyes. Was he jealous?

The guy seemed to read the question in his face and he blinked and looked away. He looked spooked, and suddenly insecure.

"Uhh, I didn't mean- was just curious, I guess." He looked uncomfortably confused, looking down at his clean plate.   

Daryl felt something funny in his gut and had the weirdest urge to look at the young guy for help.

"So if I come back more often that'd make me a regular right?" The guy asked, finally looking back up at Daryl.  

Daryl chewed on his lip. "Yeah?" What the fuck was happening?

"Yeah." The guy said to himself and quietly stood up and left without another word.   

"Dude. That was so awkward!" A voice to the side said. It was the young guy flushed with laughter.   

"Wish I knew when he was coming back. I want to catch the next show," the guy continued.  

"Shut up," Daryl replied automatically, but when saw the guy's mug was running low on coffee he refilled it without a second thought.   

"Thanks, man." The guy's smile got impossibly bigger and brighter and Daryl couldn't find a single reason to hate him either.   

"You new here?" Daryl asked.   

"Not really. I just never have enough money to go out. All my money goes to tuition. You're Daryl right? I'm Glenn."  

* * *

Glenn came back the next day. After suffering runway cowboy together, Daryl felt a weird connection with him. So he felt like helping him out. 

“Hey,” Daryl greeted him, patting Beth’s back and taking the menu from her.

“I got this one,” he told her. She smiled at him and resumed reading her textbook.

“Hey,” Glenn said.

Daryl led him over to the same table. Glenn sat down but continued looking around and even stared into their kitchen.

“She’s not here yet,” Daryl said.

Glenn looked up at Daryl sheepishly.

“She only works in the evening today.”

Glenn’s face fell and Daryl took back the menu he handed him.

“You wanna come back then?”

Glenn sighed and looked up at Daryl helplessly. “I have class.”

Daryl nodded, “Come back Saturday.”

Glenn beamed at him and when he got up, Daryl was sure he was going to hug him, but he only clasped his arm and left with a “thanks, man.” 

* * *

It was Saturday and Daryl hadn’t seen runway cowboy all week. Daryl hadn’t told Maggie what had happened either. He knew deep down that if he told her, she’d _know_. So he kept it to himself, but she knew something was up. Of course she did.

She watched him carefully and Daryl tried to be more subtle when he looked for blue eyes every time the door opened. Glenn hadn’t come by yet either.

Maggie got fed up and cornered him the third time she caught him looking around. 

"What's going on?" She asked. 

"Nothing!" Daryl exclaimed. 

Maggie groaned and grabbed the nearest container of liquid. She pulled him in by his shirt and held the container above his head. 

"Don't think I won't," she threatened. She wasn't bluffing, Daryl had had plenty of food and liquids dumped on his head by her hand. 

Noah walked in then, eyes widening. "I don't mean to interrupt, but we just got a whole football team come in. " 

"Shit," Maggie and Daryl said at the same time. They looked at each other and Maggie mercifully let them come to a truce. 

They got busy enough that they couldn’t spend more than a few seconds with each customer, let alone flirt. Noah and Beth were on the floor too, taking orders as fast as they could and rushing into the kitchen. They all took turns cooking and somehow in the rush of it all Daryl ended up in a different order in rotation and lost sight of Maggie. He was back on the floor when the guy showed up in a fucking sheriff’s uniform complete with the hat. He really was a runway cowboy.

Noah shoved him forward and reminded him how busy they were so he gritted his teeth and headed for the guy. He smiled as soon as he saw him coming and took off his hat.

“Hi,” the guy said, minding his hat with his fingers.

“Hi,” Daryl replied.

“You’re really busy today.” There was an odd excitement in the guy’s deep voice, almost like he was happy to be there. Or maybe like he was happy to see Daryl. He felt stupid thinking that, but with the way the guy was looking at him, it kinda reminded him of how Aaron used to act around him.

“Yeah.” Daryl agreed as he took him to a table.  

“Probably too busy to _chat_ with your customers," the guy said playfully. 

Daryl almost smiled. “Not today.”

The guy sat down, setting his hands on the table. The one closest to Daryl moved for a second, like it wanted to reach for him. “I didn’t get your name last time,” the guy said. 

“You didn’t ask.”

“Right.” The guy nodded, “I’m Rick.”

“Daryl.”

* * *

 It was really packed and Daryl still hadn’t seen much of Maggie. He ran into her, literally, when he went into the kitchen, but that was it. He grabbed a skillet and instantly started helping Beth with the orders. Almost half the people there were still waiting on their food.

Daryl rushed out with three different orders and delivered them as fast as he could without crashing into anyone. He was tired, not physically, but all the people waiting on him were wearing him out.

Finally, he was on his way to Rick. Rick sat up once he saw him. He looked really good in his uniform, like he could get everyone in the restaurant to settle down and assure them they were doing the best they could.

Daryl leaned in to set his plate down and Rick looked up at him with a blinding smile, his beard was a little fuller. Once he set the plate down Daryl noticed his empty mug. Fuck, he forgot his refill. Daryl darted just as Rick was thanking him and brought him his coffee.

Rick tried to thank him again, but another customer was calling Daryl just a few tables away. Daryl rushed over and then another one behind Rick was calling for him too. Daryl was beyond frazzled before he knew it he was bumping into Rick and his coffee spilled on his lap. Rick shot up in a flash swatting at the steaming liquid on his lap.

“Fuck!” Daryl yelled and started wiping at Rick’s pants with his rag. The noise in the restaurant had died down and now everyone was watching them. Daryl grabbed Rick and sped him away to the kitchen.

“Sorry!” Daryl apologized and kept trying to clean Rick. Rick was laughing by then and he grabbed at Daryl’s hands to stop him.

“It’s alright,” Rick said.

Daryl pulled his hands back and hunched in on himself, he felt like an idiot.

“Hey,” Rick called out. “It’s okay.” He smiled at him and his blue eyes looked sincere enough that Daryl believed him.

Rick shrugged, “Finally got you to pay me a little more attention.”

Daryl laughed. “Hope the burns are worth it.”

They looked at each other and Daryl found Rick’s stare oddly comforting. Then he felt someone else’s stare. He looked to the side and there was Maggie wiping off Glenn’s face. Her cinnamon roll shake all over his face and hair.

“Oh, don’t mind us,” Glenn said with glee.

Daryl locked eyes with Maggie, several degrees of realization dawning in both their eyes. Her face split into a grin and then they burst into laughter. 

Rick and Glenn hung around the restaurant almost every other day after that. 

* * *

_A few months later..._

Daryl never proposed a bet to Maggie. He took them and ran with them, but he never started them. It might have been the lack of experience, because when he tried to he failed **miserably** and instead clued Maggie in on something even he didn’t know he wanted.

“I bet I can get Rick to propose to me before Glenn proposes to you,” he said suddenly into the quiet room. All the blood drained from his face and his stomach bottomed out. He was frozen in fear and couldn’t see Maggie’s reaction. He was thankful for that.

“Daryl,” Maggie gasped.

“Are you in love with Rick?” She asked, starting to shake in excitement.

Daryl finally snapped out of it and opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

Maggie looked at him and then smiled that smile.

“You’re on.” She hugged him tight and he couldn’t help but lean into her.

* * *

Eric was sobbing and Aaron was openly crying. There was too much food because Daryl couldn't help himself when he was nervous and Noah couldn't bear to leave Daryl in the kitchen alone with all that anxiety the night before his wedding. He stayed with him and ended up doubling the food Daryl was making. 

Maggie looked radiant in her mother's wedding dress. Abraham and Noah were tearing up, holding onto each other and Carol was sniffling, arms wrapped around Sophia. Beth and Sasha looked like angels in their bride's maids dresses. 

Maggie looked Daryl up and down. “I look prettier,” she whispered to him.

“Only because I’m not wearing a dress,” Daryl replied.

"Guys," Glenn reprimanded, making a motion towards the gazebo arch Abraham had built them. He looked absolutely stunning in his tux. Maggie interlocked their fingers together and pulled them forward. 

Daryl couldn't even look at Rick. He really looked like a damn model now. Rick reached for his hand and shyly tugged on it. 

Half the town showed up, cramming into their small parking lot. It was a hell of a lot more people than they were expecting, but with Rick and Maggie around Daryl did alright. He threw Merle over his shoulder when the bastard showed up and surprised him, but after that he hardly caused any damage. Rick woke Merle up and won him over just by handing him a cold beer. Rick meant for him to use it as an ice pack, but Merle downed it before he could even say anything. 

**Author's Note:**

> My constant rock in all this: [take_a_bow06](http://archiveofourown.org/users/take_a_bow06/pseuds/take_a_bow06)
> 
> THANK YOU!


End file.
